Len Shackleton facts for kids

Len Shackleton (born May 3, 1922 – died November 28, 2000) was a famous English footballer. People called him the "Clown Prince of Football" because he loved to entertain the crowd. Many think he was one of England's best entertainers on the field. He also played cricket for Northumberland.

Len could play as an inside forward or outside forward. He scored 134 goals in 427 league and cup games over 11 seasons. Before that, he scored 171 goals in 209 games during World War II. He was amazing at controlling the ball, making him one of the most talented players in England. But he was very individual and spoke his mind, which meant he only played five games for the England team. He never won a major trophy or league title in his career.

Born in Bradford, Len played for several youth teams before becoming a professional with Bradford Park Avenue in 1940. During World War II, he worked on aircraft radios and played football. In 1946, he moved to Newcastle United for £13,000. He scored six goals in his first game for Newcastle! However, he didn't get along with the club's leaders. In 1948, he moved to Sunderland for a record fee of £20,050. He scored 97 goals in 320 games for Sunderland. The closest he came to winning a trophy was finishing third in the league in 1950. He also reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1955 and 1956. Len retired in 1957 due to an ankle injury and later became a sports journalist.

Len Shackleton's Football Journey

Leonard Francis Shackleton was born in Bradford, England, on May 3, 1922. His father was a painter, and his mother was a housewife. He had a younger brother, John, who also played football for Sunderland but didn't play in the first team. Len went to Carlton High Grammar school. He was the first schoolboy from Bradford to play for England schoolboys. He scored two goals in a 6–2 win against Wales.

Starting His Career

Even though his family supported Bradford City, Len joined Bradford Park Avenue as an amateur player. They let him play for Kippax United in a local league too. Arsenal's manager heard about his skills and signed him in 1938. Arsenal allowed him to play for Enfield. He only played twice for Arsenal's reserve team. In May 1939, Arsenal let him go, saying he was too small for football. After this, he worked at London Paper Mills and played for their factory team.

Playing for Bradford Park Avenue

When World War II started, Len went back to Bradford. He got a job building aircraft radios for GEC. He also rejoined Bradford Park Avenue as an amateur. He became a professional player in late 1940, getting a £10 signing fee. On Christmas morning, he played for Bradford PA and then for Huddersfield Town in the afternoon, scoring in both games! During the war, he scored 171 goals in 209 games for Bradford PA.

In 1945, he had to work in coal mining for a short time before joining the Royal Air Force. He scored four goals in seven games at the start of the 1946–47 season. But he left the club in October 1946 because some fans didn't like his individual style of play.

Time at Newcastle United

In October 1946, Len moved to Newcastle United for £13,000. He made an amazing debut, scoring six goals in Newcastle's 13–0 win against Newport County on October 5. Three of his goals came in just 155 seconds! However, he didn't have a good relationship with the club's directors.

Newcastle had a very strong attacking team with players like Jackie Milburn and Charlie Wayman. They scored 95 league goals in the 1946–47 season. They also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, but lost to Charlton Athletic. Len had disagreements with the club over housing and other issues. He even went on strike once with team captain Joe Harvey. He asked to leave the club, and his request was granted.

"...those people upstairs, and whatnot – I never hit it off with... the fans are so brilliant at Newcastle that I feel guilty when I call them (names). But I'm not calling the fans, I'm calling the club... I've no bias against Newcastle – I don't care who beats them!"

—Shackleton liked the Geordie people but felt that Newcastle United was not a well run club.

Moving to Sunderland

In February 1948, Len was sold to Newcastle's rivals Sunderland for a British record transfer fee of £20,050. Sunderland was known as the 'Bank of England' club because they spent a lot of money on famous players. Len's first game for Sunderland was a 5–1 loss to Derby County. Sunderland finished just above the relegation zone that season.

Len felt that the team was a group of talented players but not a true team. He didn't get along with his teammate Trevor Ford on or off the pitch. Ford even threatened not to play with Shackleton, but the manager made him change his mind. Ford was later sold in 1953.

Len never won any trophies with Sunderland. The closest they came was finishing third in the league in 1950, just one point behind the champions. They also reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1955 and 1956, but lost both times. Len injured his ankle at the start of the 1957–58 season and decided to retire. The club was hesitant to give him a special benefit match, but agreed after Len threatened to tell the football authorities about some disagreements over payments.

Playing for England

Len Shackleton played his first game for England on September 26, 1948, in a 0–0 draw with Denmark. He played again against Wales in November 1948 and October 1949.

He then had to wait five years for his fourth game. Even though he was very talented, the England selectors didn't fully trust his rebellious style. One selector famously said, "we play at Wembley, not the London Palladium." This meant they wanted serious players, not entertainers.

He returned to play against Wales in 1954. His best performance for England was in his final game, a 3–1 win against the World Champions West Germany on December 1, 1954. He scored a chipped goal, which he called his "most memorable scoring effort." He said he planned the goal long before he scored it.

Len's Unique Playing Style

Journalist Malcolm Hartley described Len's play: "Besides his amazing ball control and quick moves, Shack could hit a ball hard. His thin legs could shoot the ball like a powerful gun." Another person said: "Once he had the ball, it became his slave. He could dribble, fake, position himself well, and pass accurately."

Len was a true showman who loved to entertain the crowd. He could spin the ball so it would roll towards an opponent, then stop and come back to him as if on a string! He was also known for back-heeling penalty kicks into the goal. However, he rarely helped defend, and his tricks were sometimes seen as "unsportsman-like."

In one game against Arsenal, with his team winning 2–1 and only 5 minutes left, he dribbled the ball into the penalty area. Then, he put his foot on the ball, pretended to comb his hair, and looked at his watch! Other times, he would pass the ball to the corner flag and get it back, or even sit on the ball to tease defenders. He would also torment goalkeepers by putting his foot on the ball right on the goal line. Some teammates, like Trevor Ford, felt his antics wasted time and broke down attacks. But others, like Billy Bingham, defended him, saying he was brilliant.

Cricket and Later Life

While playing football for Sunderland, Len Shackleton also played cricket for Wearmouth Colliery and for Northumberland. His cleverness and humor were also clear on the cricket field. At Wearmouth, he would pretend to miss catches, then look behind him as if the ball had gone far, before pulling the ball out of his pocket! He also played cricket for Lidget Green in the Bradford League.

After retiring from football, Len became a sports journalist. He had always spoken out against the football establishment, especially the rule that limited how much players could earn. He used his nickname, The Clown Prince of Soccer, for his autobiography published in 1956. One chapter in the book, titled "The Average Director's Knowledge of Football," was famously a single blank page. The book was very popular and sold many copies.

Len, who was also a barber during his playing career, had three sons with his wife Marjorie. He moved to Grange-over-Sands in Cumbria after retiring. He wrote another book, Return of the Clown Prince, with his son Roger. He had a heart attack in August 2000 and passed away on November 28, 2000, at the age of 78.

Years after his death, more people, especially in Europe, learned about him. This was thanks to the band Chumbawamba, who released a song called "Song To Len Shackleton" in 2002.

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